Fluid handling structure



May 22, 1962 E. c. BEASON, JR 3,035,595

FLUID HANDLING STRUCTURE Filed Oct. 30, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MN (UNINVENFOR. E.C. BEASON,JR

A T TORNE Y5 May 22, 1962 E. c. BEASON, JR 3,035,595

FLUID HANDLING STRUCTURE Filed Oct.' 50, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.E.C. BEASON,JR.

BY AL$- A TTORNEYS United States PatentQ ware Filed Oct. 30, 1958, Ser.No. 770,692 3 Claims. (Cl. 137-71) This invention relates to a fluidhandling structure. In one aspect this invention relates to a hydrantvalve structure adapted to permit flow therethrough in either direction.

At the present time there is a trend to replace the familiar aircraftservicing tank truck with a fueling system comprising undergroundconduits supplying fuel from a central storage and pumping facility to aplurality of fuel hydrants located at parking stations on the airfield.In such a fueling system, small mobile servicing trucks having meteringand filtering means thereon and provided with suitable connections whichconnect with said fuel hydrant and the aircraft, are employed at saidparking stations. The fuel is delivered from the hydrant through saidmetering and filtering means on the service truck and then into theaircraft. In most instances, both the truck conduit connectin to thehydrant and the hydrant outlet itself are provided with valves whichclose automatically when said truck conduit and said hydrant areseparated. Although said servicing truck is generally provided withemergency shutdown means, it is desirable that means be provided to shutoff fiow at the hydrant under emergency conditions. It is also desirablethat the hydrant valve be adapted to permit flow in either direction soas to accommodate both fueling and defueling operations.

An object of this invention is to rovide an improved structure. Anotherobject of this invention is to provide an improved fluid handlingstructure having valve means therein adapted to permit flow therethroughin either direction. Another object of this invention is to provide ahydrant valve particularly adapted to be employed in a hydrant fuelingsystem for the fueling and defueling of aircraft. Another object of thisinvention is to provide a hydrant valve adapted to be employed inaircraft fueling operations and provided with emergency shutdown means.Another object of this invention is to provide a fluid handlingstructure having valving means therein of simple structure adapted to beopened by direct mechanical action. Another object of this invention isto provide a fluid handling structure having a recess in the exteriorwall of the housing thereof, said recess forming a ring of reducedstrength, and being adapted to cause said housing to break at saidrecessed ring in the event of a sharp blow or other unusual stressagainst said housing. Other aspects, objects, and advantages of theinvention will be apparent to those skilled in the art in view of thisdisclosure.

FIGURE 1 is a cross section of one modification of the fluid handlingstructure of the invention adapted to permit flow therethrough in eitherdirection and provided with emergency shutdown means. Attached to theupper end of the fluid handling structure of the invention is a matingcoupling which cooperates with said fluid handling structure to open thepoppet valve in the upper end thereof.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a modification of the fluid handling structureshown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a cross section taken along the lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a detail view, partially in cross section, of a portion ofthe apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a detail view, partially in cross section, of a portion ofthe apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 6 illustrates a modification of the pressure equalizing andpoppet valve opening means which can be employed in the modification ofthe invention illustrated in FIGURE 2.

Referring now to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals areemployed to denote like elements, the invention will be more fullyexplained by describing a modification thereof which is particularlyadapted to be employed as a hydrant valve in a hydrant system for thefueling and defueling of aircraft. The embodiment of the inventionillustrated in FIGURE 1 comprises a tubular housing 10 having an upperend 11 and an opposite lower end 12, both of which ends are adapted tobe connected with fluid handling conduits, as by threads 13 adjacentsaid upper end 11, and flange 14 at said lower end 12. A first annularvalve seat 16 is provided at the upper end of said housing. Said valveseat 16 is mounted on supports 17 and is attached to said supports bymeans of a plurality of bolts 18. Any other suitable means for mountingsaid first valve seat at the upper end of said housing can be employed.A first poppet valve 19 is adapted to seat at said first valve seat 16.A ring of gasket material 21, mounted in a groove in said first poppetvalve, provides a seating surface on said poppet valve 19. A first valvestem 22 is attached at one end to the underside of said poppet valve 19and is slidably mounted in a first guide- Way 23 which is supportedwithin a first chamber 24 (described hereinafter) of said housing by afirst plurality of support members 26 attached to said guideway and toan annular support ring resting in a shoulder formed in the inner wallof said housing. A coil spring 27 is mounted around said valve stem 22between said poppet valve 19 and said support members 26. Said coilspring bears against said poppet valve and said support members and isthus adapted to bias said valve 19 to a normally closed position.

A second annular valve seat 28 is disposed within said housing if!intermediate said upper and lower ends thereof. Said valve seat 28 ismounted on a plurality of supports 29 by means of a plurality of bolts31. A second poppet valve 32 is adapted to seat at said second valveseat 28. A ring of gasket material 33, mounted in a groove in saidpoppet valve 32, provides a seating surface on said valve. Said secondannular valve seat 28 and said second poppet valve 32 (when seated)divide the interior of said housing 10 into a first chamber 24 formedbetween said first and said second valve seats, and a second chamber 34formed between said second valve seat and said lower end 12 of saidhousing. A second valve stem 36 is attached at one end to the undersideof poppet valve 32 and is slidably mounted in a second guideway 37supported within said second chamber 34 by a plurality of supportmembers 38 which are attached to said guideway 37 and to the inner Wallof said housing. A coil spring 35 is mounted around said valve stem 36between said second poppet valve 32 and said support members 38 forbiasing said poppet valve 32 to normally closed position.

A recess 39, forming a ring of reduced strength, is provided in theexterior wall of said housing at a point intermediate said first valveseat 16 and said second valve seat 28. Said recess 39 thus forms abreakaway ring in the wall of the housing of the fluid handlingstructure. Said breakaway ring is provided as an additional safetymeasure in the event that said housing is struck an accidental blow, asby being struck by a vehicle, or other unusual stress, and in such eventwill cause housing 10 to break at a point above said second valve seat28. In such an event, second poppet valve 32 would automatically closebecause the pressure in first chamber 24 will then be lower than thepressure in second chamber 34 and pressure of the flowing fluid willclose valve 32. Flow through the fluid handling structure will then beshut oif.

A conduit 41 is formed Within the Wall of said housing 10 Patented May22, 1962 and extends between said first chamber 24 and said secondchamber 34. Said conduit 41 forms part of a means for equalizing thepressure between chamber 24 and chamber 34 as is explained furtherhereinafter. A boss member 42 projects from the exterior wall of saidhousing adjacent said conduit 41. A plunger 43 is slidably mounted in acavity formed in said boss member. Packing gland 44, together with theO-ring associated therewith, forms a seal for said cavity and plunger. Acoil spring 46 mounted around a push rod 47 with-in said cavity bearsagainst the inner end of said plunger 43 and serves to normally biassaid plunger in an outward direction. Said push rod 47 is slidablymounted in and extends through said boss member 42 so as to intersectand block said conduit 41. The outer end of said push rod 47 extendsinto said cavity and is connected to the inner end of said plunger 43.The inner end of said push rod extends into said first chamber 24. Aport 48, extending through said push rod, is adapted to align with saidconduit 41 when said push rod is moved inwardly to thus unblock saidconduit, and provide communication between said first chamber 24 andsaid second chamber 34. A lever assembly comprising a first link member49, a second link member 51, and a third link member 52, pivotallyconnected to each other at one end of each, is disposed within saidfirst chamber 24. The other end of said first link member 49 isconnected by means of a sliding linkage 53 to the inner end of said pushrod 47. The other end of said second link member 51 is pivotallyconnected to said first guideway 23, and the other end of said thirdlink member 52 is pivotally connected to a cylindrical boss member 54which extends upwardly into said first chamber from the upper side ofsaid second poppet valve 32. When said lever assembly is actuated, asdescribed further hereinafter, said third link member pivots upwardlyinto recess 56 provided in cylindrical boss member 54. A stop 57 isprovided at the upper end of said recess 56 to prevent third levermember 52 from being placed into a vertical position and thus more orless locking second poppet valve 32 in an open position. Another way toprevent third link member 52 from obtaining a vertical position is tolimit the amount of inward travel of push rod 47 by the length ofplunger 43 and the cavity in boss member 42 in which said plunger ismounted. A lever member 58 is pivotally connected to said boss member 42for pushing said plunger 43 and said push rod 47 inwardly so as to firstunblock said conduit 41 when port 48 aligns therewith and then to opensaid second poppet valve 32 by the force applied through said leverassembly comprising link members 49, 51, and 52 attached to the innerend of said push rod 47.

FIGURE 1 also illustrates a mating coupling 59 attached to housing atthreads 13. Said mating coupling comprises a body having a valve seat 61slidably mounted in the end thereof as shown. A poppet valve 62 is fixedwithin the body of said mating coupling by means of stem 63 attached tosupport member 64 as shown. Spring 66 bearing against support member 64and attached (as by welding) to said valve seat 61 is adapted to biassaid valve seat 61 to a position against poppet valve 62 and therebyclose the end of said mating coupling when it is uncoupled from housing10. As here shown, valve seat 61 has been pushed upwardly and away frompoppet valve 62 by the action of the upper end 11 of housing 10 as saidmating coupling 59 was threaded onto said housing 10. At the same time,poppet valve 62, being fixed, bears against poppet valve 19 in housing10, compresses spring 27, and thus moves said valve 19 away from valveseat 16.

In the operation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG- URE 1, assumingthat mating coupling 59 has been coupled to housing 10, poppet valve 19is biased to an open position by poppet valve 62 as shown, the lower end12 of housing 10 has been connected at 14 to a hydrant (not shown) andfuel is being pumped into end 12 of said housing, the unblocking ofconduit 41 by lifting lanyard 67 so as to cause lever member 58 to pushplunger 43 and push rod 47 inwardly to align port 48 with said conduit41, will cause the pressure in first chamber 24 and second chamber 34 tobe equalized. Upon equalization of the pressure in said chambers,further inward movement of push rod 47 will cause sliding linkage 53 toengage the lever assembly comprising link members 49, 51, and 52 to beactuated, and poppet valve 32 will be biased to an open position by theaction of said lever assembly. Only suflicient force to overcome spring35 is necessary to open valve 32 after the pressure in chambers 24 and34 has been equalized. The fluid handling structure is now completelyopen and fuel can be pumped therethrough to the aircraft which it isdesired to fuel. Flow through said fluid handling structure willcontinue only so long as plunger 43, push rod 47, and the lever assemblyare maintained in an inward position by the action of lever member 48.

If for any reason an emergency arises, and it is necessary to stop flowof fuel as soon as possible, release of lanyard 67 will cause spring 46to move plunger 43 and push rod 47 in an outward direction, thusreleasing the force supplied by lever assembly against second poppetvalve 32. Conduit 41 will be blocked by the outward movement of push rod47, the pressure in chamber 34 will be higher than the pressure inchamber 24, and spring 35, together with the force exerted by theflowing fluid, will cause second poppet valve 32 to close. Duringfueling operations, lanyard 67 can be secured in a taut position so asto maintain force on said lever assembly within chmber 24 and thus holdpoppet valve 32 open. Fusible links 68 are provided in said lanyard 67.In the event of a fire, said fusible links will melt and part whichwould automatically cause plunger 43 and push rod 47 to be movedoutwardly, thus removing force from said lever assembly in chamber 24,and poppet valve 32 would immediately close and shut down the fuelingoperation.

A further safety feature is provided in recess 39. Said recess 39provides a ring of reduced strength and if the fluid handling structureis struck an accidental blow, or suffers other unusual stress, housing10 would break at said recess. Since said recess is positioned abovesecond valve seat 23, the breaking of the housing at this point wouldcause the pressure in first chamber 24 to be lower than the pressure inchamber 34 and poppet valve 32 would be caused to close.

On defueling operation, i.e., when fluid is being pumped I from theaircraft and the flow of fluid through housing 19 is from end 11 towardend 12, the force exerted by the flowing fluid on the upperside ofsecond poppet valve 32 will open said poppet valve 32.

Referring now to FIGURES 2, 3, and 4, there is illustrated a secondmodification of the fluid handling structure of the invention. In saidsecond modification, the upper portion of the fluid handling structureis exactly the same as the upper portion ofthe apparatus in FIGURE 1.First poppet valve 19 is, however, illustrated in a closed position.Second poppet valve 32' and the means for opening same have beenmodified. A conduit 71 extending through said poppet valve 32' from saidfirst chamber 24 into said second chamber 34 has been provided. A bleedvalve 72 (see FIGURE 4) is mounted in said conduit 71. Said bleed valvecomprises a cylindrical body member 73 which is perforated throughout aportion of its length and extends without the lower end of said conduit71. A perforated cap member 74, having a larger diameter than saidcylindrical body member 73, is attached to the upper end of said bodymember. A lower end member 76 is attached to the lower end of saidcylindrical body member. An O-ring 77, or other resilient packing means,is disposed around said cylindrical body member 73 between said lowerend member 76 and the underside of said second poppet valve 32'. A coilspring 78 is mounted around said cylindrical body member 73 between saidupper cap member 74 and a shoulder formed in the wall of said conduit71. Said coil spring 78 is adapted to bias said valve 72 to normallyclosed position.

First and second boss members 79 and 81 (see FIG- URE 3) projectoutwardly from the exterior wall on opposite sides of said housing atpoints immediately above said second valve seat 28. A rotatable rod 82extends between said first and second boss members 79 and 81 and extendstransversely through said first chamber 24 between the longitudinal axisand the inner wall of said housing 10. One end of said rotatable rod isjournaled in said first boss member 79 and the other end of saidrotatable rod is journaled in and extends through said second bossmember 81. A packing gland 83 is mounted in said second boss member 81and forms a seal with the extended end of said rotatable rod 82. A leverarm 84 is attached at one end to an intermediate point of said rotatablerod within said first chamber 24 and extends from said rod into contact,by means of roller 86, with said cap member 74 of said bleed valve 72.An actuator lever 87 is attached to the extended end of said rod 82. Acoil spring 88 is attached to and mounted between said actuator lever 87and said packing gland 83 and is adapted to normally rotate and biassaid rotatable rod in a direction such that lever arm 84 does notnormally exert a force against cap member 74 of bleed valve 7 2.

It is believed that the operation of the apparatus illustrated inFIGURES 2, 3, and 4 will be apparent to those skilled in the art in viewof the above description thereof and the description of the operation ofthe apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1. Assuming that a mating coupling59 has been attached to the upper end of housing as described inconnection with FIGURE 1, and it is desired to initiate fuelingoperation, an upward pull on lanyard 67 will rotate rod 82 so as to movelever arm 84 downwardly into contact with cap member 74 of bleed valve72. When force is first applied to said bleed valve 72, it will bebiased open and fuel will flow through the perforation in upper capmember 74 and the perforations in cylindrical body member 73, and thepressure will be equalized in first chamber 24 and second chamber 34. Itis then necessary to apply only sufficient additional force by means oflanyard 67 to cause lever arm 84 to overcome the action of spring 35 andthus open second poppet valve 32'.

In FIGURE 6, there is illustrated another type of bleed valve which canbe employed in the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2. In thismodification, second valve stem 36 extends through an opening providedin second poppet valve 32". A disc 89, having perforations 91 in theperipheral portion thereof, is attached to the upper end of said secondvalve stem 36' which extends into first chamber 24. Said disc 89 is oflarger diameter than said second valve stem 36'. An annular valve member92 is mounted on said second valve stem 36 below and adjacent saidsecond poppet valve 32". An O-ring 93, or other suitable resilientpacking means, is disposed around said second valve stem 36 between saidsecond poppet valve 32" and said annular valve member 92. A coil spring94 is mounted around said second valve stem 36 at its upper end betweensaid disc 89 and a shoulder 96 formed in said opening extending throughsecond poppet valve 32".

In the operation of the apparatus illustrated in FIG- URE 6, said coilspring 94, exerting force against disc 89 and said shoulder 96, servesto hold O-ring 93 and valve member 92 in the position shown and thusclose said opening through second poppet valve 32". When a downwardforce is exerted against disc 89 by means of lever arm 84 and roller 86,in the manner described above in connection with FIGURES 2 and 3, saiddownward force will first move O-ring 93 out of engagement with theopening through second poppet valve 32" and thus unblock said opening toprovide for equalization of the pressure between first chamber 24 andsecond chamber 34. Further downward force against disc 89 will causesaid disc to contact the upper side of second poppet valve 32" and saidsecond poppet valve will thus be biased open due to said forceovercoming the action of spring 35. (See FIGURE 2.)

It is believed that the advantages of the invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art in view of the above detailed description. Theinvention provides a fluid handling structure which can be employed in aconduit, such as a fueling and defueling conduit, to control flow offluid in either direction. It is believed evident that the fluidhandling structure of the invention is compact, can be readilyinstalled, and easily maintained. The breakaway section provided in thebody of housing 10 provides a valuable safety feature which is not to befound in the fluid handling structures or valves of the prior art. It isbelieved that the direct mechanical action of the valve opening means,and the simplified structure of the invention as a whole, impart obviousadvantages which will be readily recognized by those skilled in the art.

While the invention has been described herein and in the claims, in someinstances, with reference to an upper and a lower end, and upper andlower poppet valves, as would be the situation when the fluid handlingstructure is installed in a vertical position, the employ of the fluidhandling structure of the invention is not limited to verticalinstallations.- It is believed obvious that said fluid handlingstructure can also be employed in a horizontal position, or in any otherposition between a vertical position and a horizontal position.

Likewise, while the invention has been described in terms of a hydrantvalve adapted for use in the fueling and defueling of aircraft, theinvention is not limited to such use.

Various other modifications of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art in view of the above disclosure. Such modificationsare within the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A fluid handling structure comprising: a tubular housing withopposite upper and lower ends adapted to be connected with fluidhandling conduits, said upper and lower ends each being adapted to serveas an outlet and an inlet respectively when flow is in one directionthrough said structure, and said upper and lower ends each being adaptedto serve as an inlet and an outlet respectively when flow is in thereverse direction through said structure; a first annular valve seatremovably mounted in said upper end of said housing; a first poppetvalve adapted to seat in said first valve seat; a valve stem attached atone end to the underside of said first poppet valve and slidably mountedin a first guideway supported within a first chamber of said housing bya first plurality of support members attached thereto; spring meansmounted around said first valve stem between said first poppet valve andsaid first support members for biasing said first poppet valve to anormally closed position at said first valve seat, said first valvebeing adapted however to be mechanically opened when a mating couplingis connected to said one end of said housing; a second annular valveseat removably mounted within said housing intermediate said upper andsaid lower ends thereof; a second poppet valve adapted to seat in saidsecond valve seat, said second valve seat and said second poppet valvewhen seated dividing the interior of said housing into said firstchamber formed between said valve seats and a second chamber formedbetween said second valve seat and said lower end of said housing; asecond valve stem connected at one end to the underside of said secondpoppet valve and slidably mounted in a second guideway supported withinsaid second chamber by a second plurality of support members attachedthereto and to the inner wall of said housing; a second spring means,mounted around said second valve stem between said second poppet valveand said second support members, for biasing said second poppet valve tonormally closed position; a recess, forming a ring of reduced strength,provided exteriorly in the wall of said housing between said first andsecond valve seats; a conduit formed within the wall of said housing andextending between said first and second chambers; a boss memberprojecting from the exterior wall of said housing adjacent said conduit;a plunger slidably mounted in a cavity formed in said boss member;spring means within said cavity for biasing said plunger in an outwarddirection; a push rod slidably mounted in said boss member so as tointersect and block said conduit; the outer end of said push rodextending into said cavity and connected to the inner end of saidplunger, and the inner end of said push rod extending into said firstchamber; a port extending through said push rod and adapted to alignwith said conduit when said push rod is moved inwardly to thus unblocksaid conduit and provide communication between said first and secondchambers; first, second, and third link members pivotally connected toeach other at one end of each, the other end of said first link memberbeing connected by a sliding linkage to said inner end of said push rod,the other end of said second link member being pivotally connected tosaid first guideway, and the other end of said third link member beingpivotally connected to a cylindrical boss member extending upwardly intosaid first chamber from the upper side of said second poppet valve; anda lever member pivotally connected to said boss member for pushing saidplunger and push rod inwardly so as to first unblock said conduit andthen open said second poppet valve.

2. A fluid handling structure comprising: a tubular housing with firstand second ends thereof adapted to be connected with fluid handlingconduits, said first and second ends each being adapted to serve as anoutlet and an inlet respectively when flow is in one direction throughsaid structure, and said first and said second ends each being adaptedto serve as an inlet and an outlet respectively when flow is in thereverse direction through said structure; a first poppet valve supportedwithin said housing and normally biased to seating position in a firstvalve seat at said first end of said housing, and adapted to bemechanically opened when a mating coupling'is connected to said firstend of said housing; a second poppet valve supported within said housingand normally biased to seating position in a second valve seat disposedwithin said housing intermediate said first and second ends, said secondvalve seat dividing the interior of said housing into a first chamberformed between said valve seats and a second chamber formed between saidsecond valve seat and said second end of said housing; a recess, forminga ring of reduced strength, provided in the outer wall of said housingbetween said first and said second valve seats; a conduit formedlongitudinally within the wall of said housing and extending betweensaid first and second chambers; a push rod extending into said firstchamber through a boss member projecting from the exterior wall of saidhousing adjacent said conduit, said push rod intersecting and normallyblocking said conduit; a port provided in said push rod and adapted toalign with said conduit when said push rod is moved inwardly; a leverassembly operatively connected to said second poppet valve and said pushrod within said first chamber; and a lever member pivotally connected tosaid boss member for moving said push rod inwardly so as to first alignsaid port with said conduit and then actuate said lever assembly to opensaid second poppet valve.

3. The fluid handling structure of claim 2 wherein said lever assemblycomprises: first, second, and third link members pivotally connected toeach other at one end of each, the other end of said first link memberbeing connected by a sliding linkage to the inner end of said push rod,the other end of said second link member being pivotally connected to afixed support member, and the other end of said third link member beingpivotally connected to said second poppet valve.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,692,296 Godsey Nov. 20, 1928 1,712,498 Hawxhurst May 14, 19291,998,913 Wheaton Apr. 23, 1935 2,080,485 Johnsen May 18, 1937 2,556,221Samiran June 12, 1951 2,563,244 Holicer Aug. 7, 1951 2,729,471 FraserIan. 3, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,014,867 Germany Aug. 29, 1957 (KL. 64c32/02)

